Page 72 of Juan

She laughed. “You think we have a choice?”

He answered that rhetorical question with his own smile. “Not a chance,” he said, before releasing Amber and turning to his family. “Um, we do,” he said, his heart suddenly galloping like a racehorse. He cleared his throat, then glanced at Amber. She smiled.

“Anthony’s parental rights were terminated effective yesterday. I’m going to start the process of adopting Zoe.” Even as the words left his mouth, he could still hardly believe it. Nothing in this world would stop him from building the family both he and Amber wanted, but it was still hard to wrap his head around.

The roar of cheers that went up pulled a laugh from both him and Amber but startled Zoe and the puppies. Zoe’s lips turned down and started to quiver.

“I got her,” Kendall said, hopping the short fence and picking up his daughter. His daughter. Maybe not legally, not yet, but in every other way.

“Does that mean another wedding is in the works?” Dottie asked, hugging each of them. “You did say I could walk you down the aisle,” she said to Amber.

“Oh, you did, did you?” he said, drawing out the question. He loved teasing her, but wouldn’t lie, he loved even more that she’d been thinking about it already. “Does that mean you’ve planned it already?” An adorable blush climbed her cheeks, and she ducked her head. He couldn’t have that. Lowering his lips to her ear, the one facing away from Dottie, he whispered, “Name the day and it’s done.”

Her fingers tightened on his arm, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. It would happen; they both knew it. But Amber wanted some time for the roller coaster they’d been on since Zoe entered their lives and Anthony’s crimes came to light to settle down and smooth out before starting the new chapter of their lives together.

Thankfully, her relationship, their relationship, with Zoe was growing stronger every day. As was the case against Anthony.

Johanna Milvela had sung like a bird when she learned Anthony’s real endgame. She’d given him the drugs, thinking to help him with anxiety and nervous stomach he swore he had. Why she thought that was a good idea, rather than suggest he get a prescription, Juan couldn’t fathom, but he supposed Anthony, in his way, could be very persuasive.

Three days after Anthony’s arrest, Callie finished tracing all the payments, drawing a clear, if twisted, line between each of the beneficiaries of the murders and Anthony’s bank account. Interestingly, none of the six who confessed when questioned suspected Anthony was the one supplying the drug. They’d simply assumed he was a guy who knew a guy. A middleman. The other five still hadn’t said a word to the FBI.

The police, then the FBI, had even brought Corey Osborne in for questioning regarding his role in the events that took place the night Zoe was born. He hadn’t caved yet, but it was only a matter of time. The man’s character was about as strong as a wet tissue. The last two pieces in the puzzle—small ones, but every detail counted—were Dr. Georgia Lansing and Philip Calder. A casual word from the police chief to the good doctor about the autopsies not being a priority had given her enough of a reason to put them off. Apparently, no one ever told her that being lazy and being a doctor didn’t go well together. As for Calder, Anthony had fed him a lie, telling him Clara was his aunt and Adrian her wayward daughter, and that he was worried that Adrian would harm her mother, so wanted them found. He’d begun to suspect otherwise and willingly turned his records over to the FBI when he found out the truth.

“Congrats, you two,” Clara said as she and Adrian approached. “This is more than we ever hoped for our little girl.” All four of them looked to Zoe, who now sat happily in Kendall’s lap, tossing a tiny ball to the frenzy of fur scrambling around.

“We thought it would take longer,” Juan admitted. “I’m glad it didn’t.” He suspected HICC, and Amber’s lawyer, had something to do with how quickly Anthony’s rights were terminated, but hadn’t asked. He didn’t need to know the details; he just appreciated the outcome.

Clara and Adrian shared a look before turning back to them. A hint of anxiety flashed in Clara’s eyes, raising the hairs on Juan’s neck.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

Another look between the mother and daughter. Then Adrian took a breath and spoke. “We’ve been thinking we might like to stay here. But we don’t want to encroach if you think it will cause any issues with Zoe or confuse her,” she said in a rush.

Amber drew back in surprise, then threw her arms around both Clara and Adrian. “Nothing would make me happier, and Zoe would be the luckiest girl to have you both in her life. We all will be.”

The emotion in Amber’s voice resonated through him, tugging at all his heartstrings. A beat later, he was hugging the women, too, echoing Amber’s words.

“I’m guessing there’s maybe even more good news?” Mantis said, ambling over with Charley, Joey, and Leo.

“Clara and Adrian are going to stay in Mystery Lake,” Amber answered, still clutching the women’s hands. “I’d hoped you would, but it seemed too much to ask after everything you’ve already done.”

“Nonsense,” Clara said, after the others expressed their delight. “Grandparents move to be closer to their grandkids all the time. I’m just doing the same.”

Juan didn’t think that was really true, but what did he know? He’d never met any of his grandparents.

“And I like Mystery Lake,” Adrian said. “It might take us a while to get used to the winters, but it’s so much more laid back than Virginia that I think we’ll find more of a community here than we ever had there. Now I just need to find a job.”

“Talk to Kara,” Charley said; Joey nodded. “She works at the hospital. It seems they’re always looking for nurses. Let me give you her contact.” The three women wandered away, presumably to find Charley’s purse and phone.

“You’re welcome to stay at the clubhouse as long as you like,” Mantis said.

Clara smiled. “We actually looked at a place today. A Victorian shotgun-style house—”

“The one over on Baker Street?” Leo asked. Clara nodded. “That’s a great house.”

Clara smiled. “It is. It’s been turned into a duplex, which is perfect for us. I’m not old by any stretch, but it will be easier for Adrian and me to look after each other, and house-sit when one of us travels, if we share a place. It needs a little work, but nothing structural.”

Mantis nodded. “You think you’re going to make an offer?”